Eliza

My early travel memories are of long car journeys, squashed in the middle seat, bickering with my sisters and listening to Harry Potter tapes. As a teenager, I visited Morocco and really caught the travel bug – I loved the bright colours of the souks, the exotic foods in the markets and the general hustle and bustle.

Since then, I’ve taken every opportunity to travel and have been lucky enough to explore extensively throughout Asia, South and Central America. My latest obsession is Africa. Taking my daughter, then 18 months old, to South Africa to explore Cape Town and the Winelands was a real highlight – proof that family adventures don’t need to wait. Our honeymoon in Kenya was just as special; watching a cheetah and her tiny cubs on the open plains was unforgettable.

I love a luxury hotel as much as the next person, but my most memorable moments almost always come from getting close to nature – ideally with no one else around, which often means heading a little off the beaten track or travelling out of season.

Some of my favourite experiences include climbing the black sand slopes of an active volcano before dawn in Bali to watch the sunrise and gorilla trekking in Uganda, where sitting a few metres from a silverback was an adrenaline rush like no other. I’ll never forget watching the tree-climbing lions there, awkwardly clambering down like a pet cat stuck up a tree.